Not far from the capital is a detox haven where the treatments, massages and at least one good lie-down refreshed and restored Madeleine Keane, though she did end up raiding the biscuit tin. Portrait by David Conachy Health springs eternal. - Sunday Independent (Dublin, Republic of Ireland)

Not far from the capital is a detox haven where the treatments, massages and at least one good lie-down refreshed and restored Madeleine Keane, though she did end up raiding the biscuit tin. Portrait by David Conachy

Health springs eternal

To detox or not to detox? There's no question really. Living, loving, working, playing, mothering at the beginning of the 21st century is an invitation to toxins. Coffee, chemicals, booze, pollution, fatty foods, nicotine, drugs, stress -- all these play their part in building up our toxin levels. Obviously, only some of the above touch my life, but enough of them to say a very enthusiastic 'Yes' when the gang at Powerscourt Springs asked me to come down and detox.

I've been a devoted advocate of the Enniskerry spa since I first went there many moons ago, eight months pregnant with my second child. I love the place for the kindness and friendliness of its staff, the range and breadth of the treatments offered and the sumptuous food.

Snuggled into the Wicklow Hills, the Springs is a cosy home from home where your every whim is indulged. You don't really go there to suffer or be deprived. But I was staring down the barrel of a long, hectic winter and thought I should face into it mentally and physically in my prime.

To derive the full benefit, I detoxed for the six days prior to my arrival. So out went alcohol and red meat without so much as a backward glance. Wheat, dairy and caffeine proved harder bedfellows to dislodge, but I cut down significantly.

On arrival, there was a consultation with the in-house nutrition consultant, Joyce, all about my lifestyle (busy), stress levels (ranging from high to off the Richter scale) and dietary and exercise regimes (both reasonable, but in need of improvement). She also explained how their detox programme worked and what would be expected. Then, it was into a dressing gown and a long lie-down in the darkened Tranquillity Room.

Proceedings kicked off with a gorgeous organic pomegranate and cranapple all-over body scrub. The exfoliation helped prep the body for detox. Then, I was moisturised and massaged with a seaweed-based cream -- my skin felt wonderful.

Reflexology is part of the detox package and, as regulars know, is an indulgent, invigorating treatment. This treatment involved my feet and calves being massaged. The Chinese believe each area of the foot relates to a different part of the body. My reflexologist told me that all my organs were in very good shape (happy days) but that the area between my shoulder blades was very tense. He was right -- whiplash from a car crash had left this area very tender. I was in my early 20s when the accident happened and, while I was young enough then to absorb the pain relatively easily, two decades, three pregnancies and a lot of trauma and tension later, this is the part of me that really creaks when the pressure gets going. (A masseuse once told me my back felt like a concrete wall.) However, a neck and back massage the next day worked wonders.

For such a laid-back, relaxing place, you pack a lot in. During our short stay, we also managed a couple of swims and saunas, a few long walks, a yoga class, aqua aerobics and a stint or two in the Jacuzzi.

The downside to all this activity and pampering was the food. It was good, but if you're on the detox menu prepare to watch wistfully while your fellow guests horse into steaks and bottles of Merlot while you dine dutifully on poached salmon and steamed vegetables washed down with cranberry juice. There's nothing wrong with the food -- indeed, a dessert of baked bananas was delicious -- but the detox menu could do with a bit more planning and variety.

A CURE FOR THE NHS: No 2: NORTH AMERICA: Dear Madam,how come you haven't died yet? pay for ; As the NHS lurches from crisis to crisis, Jeremy Laurance, Health Editor, asks if we should look abroad for radical solutions. In the second of a three-part series, he examines the United States, where the health business is booming, and Canada, where care - once you get it - is cheaper - The Independent (London, England)

THE FRAUD investigation was, to say the least, unusual. Thesuspects were elderly, terminally ill and receiving hospice-stylecare at home. The costs were being met by Medicare, the governmentscheme for the elderly. And their crime? They had lived too long.

Beatrice Bates was among the first to receive a letter from thefraud investigators. Aged 89, she was being treated for cancer ofthe uterus, anaemia, gout, high blood pressure and heart disease.Her daughter-in- law, Theresa Bates, described her shock. 'We werequite horrified. Beatrice was totally upset. Medicare's attitudeseemed to be: You are supposed to die, so why don't you?'

This is the dark side of the United States' healthcare system.Under Medicare rules, patients with a terminal diagnosis cared forby a hospice are covered for up to six months. But these patientshad defied the odds and survived, some for several years, duringwhich the hospice had continued to collect the Medicare payment of$88 (pounds 58) a week. Medicare wanted to know why they were stillalive - and its money back.

The investigation, reported in The Washington Post, highlightsthe uncomfortable relationship between health and economics in theUS system. To Americans, health is a commodity to be bought and soldlike holidays and cars. The 44 million who cannot or will not affordhealth insurance must rely on the charity of the public hospitalsand clinics for treatment. And when an insurer faces a loss, even ifit is a government agency, we have the grotesque spectacle of theterminally ill being harassed for the price of a jab of morphine.

John Welch, of healthcare consultants William Mercer inWashington DC, said: 'Healthcare is a business. It is run like abusiness and viewed like a business and you need to understand thateven if the patient doesn't.'

They understand that at the Washington Hospital Centre. With 900beds, it is the largest private hospital in the capital, standing ona 47- acre campus a few miles north of the White House. It has oneof the best heart and cancer programmes in the country andadmissions have risen in recent years while those of its rivals havefallen.

'Cardiac surgery built this place,' said Dr Jim Howard, seniorvice-president for medical affairs - confirming that while allpatients are equal, some are worth more than others.

Those worth the most are treated on the top floor in a newlybuilt suite of 12 rooms called 'the pavilion'. With its swagged pinkcurtains and leather-backed menus, fine art and fine linens, thepavilion offers state- of-the-art medicine in an environment torival any luxury hotel.

Thomas Sullivan, director of the hospital foundation that raised$8m from charity last year, said: 'The reality of life in the UStoday is that many people want to go first class. They are preparedto pay $350 a day for all the amenities.'

That is $350 on top of the normal hospital charges. It is notcovered by insurance.

The fine furniture is not, however, what sets apart theWashington hospital centre from its NHS equivalent. It is the 1,526specialists with admitting rights - including 90 cardiologists -5,000 nurses and support staff and 87 intensive-care beds, more thantwice as many as in a similar sized hospital in Britain.

In the US, for those with insurance, there are negligible waitinglists and few restraints on treatment - although the insurers haveattempted to impose them with managed-care schemes that restrictaccess to selected doctors and hospitals. But the growing ranks ofthe uninsured are what provokes most criticism of the system.

Americans explicitly rejected a global health budget in thedebate seven years ago over the failed healthcare reform proposed byPresident Bill Clinton and there are recent signs of growingdissatisfaction with managed care as patients demand greater choice.

Grace Marie Arnett, president of the health policy think-tank TheGalen Institute, said: 'As they have become wealthier, Americanshave shown that they want to spend their money on things thatenhance their health and their longevity so that getting older doesnot necessarily mean getting sicker. There is a growing awareness inthe US that more spending on healthcare is not necessarily a badthing.'

At the Washington Hospital Centre, you can find evidence of bothprofligacy and cost paring in the same department. In the maternityunit, with its panelled walls and polished wood floor, we are barredfrom one room because the 'shampoo therapist' is busy with apatient. Yet in the delivery suite, Margaret Young, a nurse,confides that few women stay more than 24 hours after the birthbecause of the cost. 'Some insurers will pay for a little longer,'she said.

In 1998, US spending on healthcare reached $1.1 trillion - anaverage of $4,097 per person compared with the United Kingdom figureof just under pounds 1,000 a head for the NHS. More than 14 per centof gross domestic product is spent on healthcare - compared with 6.8per cent in the UK - and this is projected to rise to 16.2 per centin 2008. Last year, health insurance premiums for employer plansincreased by 7.3 per cent, more than three times the rate ofinflation.

While hospitals and insurers are under pressure, doctors do well.Primary- care physicians are the lowest paid at about $100,000 -slightly more than a British GP. For specialists, earnings can beimpressive. A cardiologist averages $300,000 to $500,000 a year 'ifthey are not very good', according to Dr Howard of the WashingtonHospital Center. The best earn at least $1m. Even with highmalpractice premiums - $50,000 to $75,000 a year for obstetricians -doctors are among the better off members of society.

The sheer size of the healthcare industry means attitudes to itare quite different from those in Britain. Health policy analystsjoke that Americans will use as much health care as someone elsewill pay for. With between 1 and 2 per cent of the country's entireeconomy composed of profits from health insurance and medical-careorganisations there is a large segment of society with no interestin curbing costs and every interest in increasing them.

Patients, too, are starting to reject curbs on costs and demandthe freedom to choose their physician. There has been an upsurge incomplaints about the restrictions imposed by managed-care schemesand employers, fed up with the dissatisfaction expressed by staff intheir health plans, are increasingly leaving it to them to choosetheir insurance. However, workers are not entitled to the generoustax subsidies available to employers, unless their premium risesabove 7.5 per cent of salary, which is rare.

Many hospitals are in difficulty because admissions are down asmore is being done as out-patient treatment. There are too many bedsand hence competition to fill them. It is a buyer's market.

Mr Welch tells the story of a man in need of complex cancersurgery at a hospital in Washington for whom the price quoted,including aftercare, was a breathtaking $275,000.

His insurers decided to call the Mayo Clinic in Rochester,Minnesota, one of America's most famous hospitals, for a comparison.They were quoted $130,000 for the same package of care. They did notwant to move the patient but, armed with the Mayo's price, went backto the first hospital - which agreed to do the operation for$210,000.

'It was just like buying an auto,' said Mr Welch. 'The economicsare out there if you want to get into that. Do you want to payretail or wholesale?'

www.independent.co.uk

For a collection of articles highlighting problems faced by theNHS, plus related links, go to: www.independent.co.uk/links/

HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS

THE UNITED States healthcare system is based on privateinsurance, provided by employers for 64 per cent of Americans. Thepoor are covered by Medicaid, which provides free care, and thoseaged 65 and over are covered by Medicare. But 44 million 'nearlypoor' people - one in six - have no cover and are above the cut-offfor Medicaid. They rely on the charity of the public hospitals. Andthe system is the most expensive in the world, consuming 14 per centof GDP (compared with Britain's 6.8 per cent)

Premiums in employer schemes range from $1,200 (pounds 800) ayear for a person aged 20 to $6-7,000 for a 64-year-old, 22 per centpaid by the employee and 78 per cent by the employer.

Americans have traditionally had the freedom to consult generalphysicians or specialists as they wish - there is no GP gatekeepingrole - but in the past decade employers have moved heavily intomanaged care. These are schemes that restrict the choice of doctorand hospital and impose a charge of typically $10 to see a generalphysician, $20 to see a specialist and $10 for a prescription.

Health Highlights: Feb. 14, 2011; Human DNA Discovered in Gonorrhea Bacteria Bachelor Pads are Germ Havens: Study Giffords Mouthing Words to Songs, Speaks on Phone Elizabeth Taylor Likely to Spend a Few More Days in Hospital. - Consumer Health News (English)

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Human DNA Discovered in Gonorrhea Bacteria

Scientists have found human DNA in the genome of gonorrhea bacteria.

The Northwestern University team said it's not clear how the human DNA got there or how it functions in Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Their research, published in the American Society for Microbiology's online journal MBio, is the first to find a direct gene transfer from humans to a pathogenic bacterium.

The scientists said their discovery may help improve understanding about how pathogens and hosts might evolve simultaneously.

'If a bacterium has the ability to acquire DNA from its host it can take broad evolutionary steps that have the potential to influence the host-pathogen interaction and thus the course of the disease,' study co-author Mark Anderson said in an e-mail to the Times.

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Bachelor Pads are Germ Havens: Study

Bachelors' homes contain 15 times the amount of bacteria found in the abodes of single women, according to a new study.

Researchers led by microbiologist Dr. Charles Gerba of the University of Arizona analyzed samples collected from coffee tables, TV remotes, nightstands and doorknobs in the homes of 30 bachelors and 30 bachelorettes. In the men's homes, germs called coliforms were found on 70 percent of coffee tables, 30 percent of TV remotes, 62 percent of nightstands and 13 percent of doorknobs, msnbc.com reported.

Coliforms were also present in the bachelorettes' homes, but were less common on coffee tables, TV remotes and nightstands. However, coliform was more common on door knobs at single women's homes (33 percent).

Coliforms are found in the feces of warm-blooded animals and act as indictors that surfaces may also harbor cold and flu viruses and other germs known to cause diarrhea, msnbc.com reported.

Gerba speculated that coliforms might make it to men's coffee tables if they habitually placed their feet on the table without removing their shoes. The soles of most people's shoes will pick up coliform bacteria through daily use, he said.

The study was sponsored by Clorox.

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Giffords Mouthing Words to Songs, Speaks on Phone

Showing ongoing progress in her efforts to relearn how to speak, Representative Gabrielle Giffords is mouthing words and lip-synching to songs. She also talked briefly Sunday by telephone to her brother-in-law in space.

The 40-year-old Arizona congresswomen was shot in the head in an assassination attempt Jan. 8 while she hosted a constituent event in Tucson.

With help from friends and family, Giffords has been mouthing the lyrics to the songs 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' and 'I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby,' The New York Times reported.

She was also videotaped mouthing the words to 'Happy Birthday to You,' as a surprise for husband and astronaut Mark Kelly, who is celebrating his birthday this month.

'It's not like shes speaking the way she spoke, but she is vocalizing and making progress every day,' Pia Carusone, Giffords' chief of staff, told The Times. 'She's working very hard. She's determined. It's a tight schedule. A copy of it is hanging on her door.'

On Sunday afternoon, Mark Kelly put his wife on the phone to talk to his twin brother and fellow astronaut Scott aboard the International Space Station.

'She said, 'Hi, I'm good,' ' Carusone told The Times.

Giffords' aides conduct bedside briefings to update her about events such as the revolution in Egypt.

'We tell her everything that's going on,' said Carusone, who added: 'Don't get the idea she's speaking in paragraphs, but she definitely understands what we're saying and she's verbalizing.'

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Elizabeth Taylor Likely to Spend a Few More Days in Hospital

Elizabeth Taylor will likely have to spend another few days in hospital for treatment of congestive heart failure, according to her spokeswoman.

Over the weekend, the 78-year-old Oscar-winning actress was resting comfortably and received family and friends in her room at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, said Sally Morrison, the Associated Press reported.

Tayler, who revealed in 2004 that she had congestive heart failure, was admitted to the hospital late last week.

'At this state, with her history, they're going to want to keep her in for a while just to make sure they've fixed what they needed to fix,' said Morrison, the AP reported.

Avoid your home's hidden health threats: from chemicals in your bedsheets to dangerous germs in your dishcloth, health threats abound in your home. But you don't have to live with them. Create a safe haven with our 22 tips.(Consumer guide: how to be an educated consumer) - Natural Health

YOUR HOME IS YOUR HAVEN. But, warn environmental experts, it can also be the place where you face the most chemicals and other substances that threaten your health. Here's a look at the most serious health dangers in your home and some fast, easy ways to deal with them. You have a lot to gain by addressing these problems: You'll protect your lungs, ease allergies and headaches, possibly prevent cancer, and even improve your sleep, energy levels, and concentration.

Your Bedroom

Bed Linens: You spend about one-third of your life in bed, and that's a long time to breathe the noxious chemicals found in permanent press polyester-cotton sheets, says environmental health consultant Debra Lynn Dadd, the Clearwater, Fla.-based author of Home Safe Home (Putnam, 1997). To make these fabrics wrinkle-resistant, manufacturers treat them with formaldehyde, a known carcinogen that's also linked to insomnia and fatigue. Plus, because synthetic fibers don't breathe like natural fibers, they'll trap your perspiration and you can wake up feeling damp. The average person gives off a pint of perspiration during an eight-hour sleep, says environmental home expert Annie Berthold-Bond, the Rhinebeck, N.Y.-based author of Better Basics for the Home (Three Rivers Press, 1999). The moisture can breed mold and mildew.

For chemical-free sleep, Berthold-Bond recommends sheets made of organically grown cotton. In addition, choose 100 percent wool blankets, which wick away moisture, maintain an optimal body temperature, dry quickly, and resist mildew.

Mattress: It's not necessarily the safe nest you imagine. Most mattresses contain polyurethane foam and polyester, which can irritate your skin, eyes, throat, and lungs, Dadd says. Additionally, mites, mold, and yeast can live and thrive in mattresses, making your allergies flare.

To minimize your contact with these chemicals and allergens, Dadd advises purchasing a natural mattress topper made of wool. Or, if you're in the market for a new mattress, Dadd recommends an all-wool model. Wool is naturally resistant to mold, mildew, and moisture, and doesn't contain harmful components. An all-wool set costs about the same as a quality mattress set. One source for wool mattresses is Shepherd's Dream (queen size; $1,172; 800-966-5540; www .shelSherdsdream.com). For a wool mattress topper, check out EcoBedroom (queen size; $482; 626-969-3707; www.ecobedroom.com).

Closets: Your bedroom closet is a surprising source of air pollution and mold, says building investigator Jeffrey May, the Cambridge, Mass.-based author of My House Is Killing Me: The Home Guide for Families with Allergies and Asthma (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001). Dry-cleaned clothes give off fumes from solvents like perchloroethylene, a carcinogen that can damage your liver and central nervous system. Plus, mold and mites can live on the floor and walls, exacerbating your allergies every time you open the closet door. To prevent air pollution, hang newly dry-cleaned clothes in a well-ventilated room or outdoors, with the bag removed, until the odor of dry-cleaning solvents dissipates, May says. (This may take as long as a day or two.) To avoid mold and mite infestations in your closet, keep the closet floor as clean and dust-free as the rest of your bedroom. Instead of keeping shoes directly on the floor, store them in an elevated rack to allow air to circulate beneath them, which discourages mold.

Your Bathroom

Tiles, Ceilings, and Windowsills: The top complaint May hears about bathrooms is, 'I've got mold on the tile grout and other surfaces in my bathroom.' This unsightly growth can trigger allergies, asthma attacks, and headaches. To beat mold, first dry out your bathroom, he says. Open the door and window or use your bathroom fan to circulate air after showers. 'Even a little movement in air quickens evaporation,' says May. You might also consider a device like the ClosetMate Dehumidifier, a small, silent machine that uses convection coils to dry up to 1,000 cubic feet of air ($44.99; 800-999-3030; www .safetyzone.com).

To banish existing mold, combine 2 teaspoons of tea tree essential oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) with 2 cups of water in a spray bottle. (Buy this oil at natural food stores.) Shake well and mist the solution directly onto problem areas. 'Nothing works as well as this mixture to remove mold,' says Berthold-Bond, the environmental home expert. 'I've used it successfully on moldy ceilings and shower curtains.' Use a sponge to wipe any big drips, but don't scrub or rinse away the solution. Tea tree oil has a strong odor that usually dissipates in about 12 hours. If you dislike the smell, treat the area just before you leave the house for the day.

Cleaning Products: Typical bathroom cleaners teem with harmful ingredients. Toilet and glass cleaners contain ammonia, cresol, ethanol, and phenol, all of which can irritate or burn your skin and lungs. Karyn Siegel-Maier, the Saugerties, N.Y.-based author of The Naturally Clean Home (Storey Books, 1999), recommends these gentler options to disinfect and shine: To clean your toilet, sink, and tub, combine 2 cups water, 1/4 cup liquid Castile soap, 1 tablespoon tea tree essential oil, and 10 drops eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) or peppermint (Mentha x piperita) essential oil in a spray bottle and shake well. (You can purchase these ingredients in natural food stores.) Spray the surface and then scrub with a brush or sponge. Follow with a damp sponge to rinse. To make your mirror and chrome shine, combine 1 1/2 cups white vinegar, 1/2 cup water, and 8 drops of a citrus essential oil like lemon (Citrus x limon) in a spray bottle and shake. Spray the solution on mirrors and faucets and wipe with a dry cloth or towel.

Personal Care Products: Three of the most popular beauty products--nail polish, polish remover, and hair spray--are also the most dangerous, says Dadd, the environmental home consultant. Nail polish contains dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde, and toluene, toxins known to irritate the skin and respiratory tract and cause cancer, liver damage, and birth defects. Nail polish remover is made from acetone and ethyl acetate, which can irritate your eyes, nose, and throat. And hair spray contains formaldehyde and polyvinylpyrrolidone plastic, both known carcinogens. Using hair spray regularly can also cause allergic skin reactions, eye and nose irritations, and increase your risk of lung disease.

Dadd recommends that you read labels and avoid products that contain these ingredients. Shop at natural food stores for hypoallergenic versions that contain fewer chemicals or alter your beauty routine to skip those products. For example, give yourself chemical-free manicures by filing and buffing your nails and grooming your cuticles without adding a coat of polish.

Your Kitchen

Cookware: The pots and pans you use could be making you sick. Aluminum is a toxic metal that's commonly used in cookware, says Stamford, Conn.-based medical journalist Morton Walker, co-author of Toxic Metal Syndrome: How Metal Poisonings Can Affect Your Brain (Avery, 1995). Aluminum leaches into food and when ingested can damage your kidneys and liver and weaken your bones, Walker says. Some researchers also believe the metal could cause Alzheimer's disease, but this is controversial because follow-up studies were unable to prove a solid link.

To protect yourself, determine what your cookware, bakeware, dinnerware, and utensils are made of; you'll probably need to contact the manufacturer to check. Healthy choices include glass, cast iron or enamel-coated cast iron, 100 percent stainless steel, porcelain, and lead-free terra cotta. Aluminum pans that are lined with stainless steel or anodized (coated to make them scratch resistant) are also safe.

Experts disagree about the level of risk presented by using aluminum foil for storage or cooking. If you'd prefer to be cautious, use glass jars to store leftovers or wrap foods in wax paper before wrapping them in aluminum.

Dishwashing Detergent: The desire for squeaky-clean dishes has left us breathing less-than-healthy amounts of chlorine, ammonia, and dye fumes from our liquid dish soap and dishwasher detergent. These cleaners release vapors (especially during the drying cycle in your dishwasher) that can irritate your eyes and breathing passages. These compounds also linger on your dishes, adding small amounts of detergent to your food.

It's better to make a safe alternative yourself or to purchase healthier options at a natural food store. This do-it-yourself dish soap recipe contains essential oils that 'pack a punch on germs but don't knock you out in the process,' says natural home author Siegel-Maier. Fill a clean 22-ounce squirt bottle with 4 tablespoons of liquid Castile soap and 2 1/2 cups of water. Add 15 drops of lemon essential oil, 6 drops of lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia), and 5 drops of bergamot essential oil (Citrus bergamia). Shake the bottle before each use and use it as you would use regular dishwashing liquid. For chlorine- and phosphate-free automatic dishwasher detergent, Siegel-Maier recommends Seventh Generation's Free & Clear Automatic Dishwashing Detergent (50 oz; $4.99; 800-456-1191; www.seventhgeneration.com).

Sponges and Dishcloths: Studies show that the average kitchen sponge and dishcloth hold more than 100,000 bacteria, more germs than on your toilet seat, says Steven Bock, M.D., a family physician in Rhinebeck, N.Y., and co-author of The Germ Survival Guide (McGraw Hill, 2003). Most cases of food poisoning can be traced to uncooked or improperly cooked meats or fruits and vegetables that haven't been adequately washed. Juices from these foods land on your countertops and you use sponges and dishcloths to clean up the bacteria. But then you unwittingly allow these bacteria to multiply. 'Sponges and dishcloths are usually kept on the back of the sink where it's moist, creating the perfect environment for bacteria to grow,' Bock says.

There's no way to completely eliminate these germs, but you can minimize them by microwaving sponges for 60 seconds and dishcloths for 3 minutes on high. Or you can toss them in the dishwasher each time you wash your dishes, Bock advises.

Your Living Room

Carpets: They make your living room cozy, but wall-to-wall carpets are one of the biggest health threats in your home. Synthetic carpets contain neurotoxic solvents--including toulene and benzene, a known carcinogen--and emit these chemicals for up to 10 years after installation. Carpets can also breed bacteria, yeast, dust mites, and mold, says naturopath Todd Nelson, N.D., director of the Tree of Life Wellness Center in Denver, and co-author of Headache Survival (Penguin Putnam, 2002). In fact, many allergists recommend that patients with allergies get rid of carpets altogether, Nelson says. If you're unwilling to go carpet-free, make an effort to keep yours really clean. He recommends vacuuming carpets at least once a week (more if you have pets), ideally with a vacuum cleaner bag like the Micro-Clean bag by Homecare, which traps particles instead of releasing them back into the air, as most bags do. The Micro-Clean bag fits most standard vacuum cleaners and is available from National Allergy Supply Inc. ($2.99 for two bags; 800-522-1448; www.nationalallergy.com).

Furniture: Chances are your sofas and chairs add more than ambiance to your living room. Most home furnishings are made from materials like particleboard, polyurethane foam, and polyvinyl chloride, which all give off harmful fumes for years after you purchase them, Dadd says. These gases can irritate your eyes and respiratory tract and increase your risk of cancer. To make your living room healthier, buy furniture made from natural materials like wool and untreated wood, or purchase antique or used furniture that has finished releasing its gases (usually anything more than five years old). If you're buying untreated wood furniture, Dadd recommends finishing the pieces with water-based paints and stains like Flecto Varathane Interior Diamond Wood Finish, available in many home improvement stores (800-323-3584; www.flecto.com). For chemical-free furniture, Dadd suggests that you check out Organic Cotton Alternatives (888-645-4452; organiccottonalts.com); Sofa U Love (323-464-3397; www.sofaulove.com); and Shaker Workshops (800-840-9121; www.shakerworkshops.com).

Fireplace: A crackling fire in your fireplace looks inviting, but it carries risks. 'The primary danger is the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning,' says Dadd. You can't see, taste, or smell this lethal gas. Wood fires can also release benzopyrene, a carcinogen that can irritate your eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. Dadd--who enjoys her own fireplace often--recommends these precautions: First, make sure your fireplace and wood stove are installed properly and that the flue is open when you light a fire. Next, have your fireplace or wood stove inspected annually to remove any creosote build-up, which can block the chimney, forcing toxic fumes back into your living room. Always keep a window open (even a crack) to allow pollutants to escape the room. And finally, install a smoke and carbon monoxide detector near your fireplace and check the battery periodically.

Your Basement

Cracks and Crawl Spaces: Radon, the invisible, odorless radioactive natural gas found in many basements, causes lung cancer. It enters basements through cracks in floors and walls, crawl spaces, and sump pumps, and its microscopic particles attach themselves to airborne material like dust or cigarette smoke. You risk inhaling these harmful particles into your lungs.

To protect yourself, test your home with an inexpensive kit sold at hardware and home improvement stores. Look for a kit approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Or hire a professional inspector to test for it. If the test indicates that you have radon levels above 4 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/l), the EPA recommends that you work with a licensed radon contractor to install a radon mitigation system in your basement, which typically costs $1,000 to $2,000. If you have lower levels, you can try cheaper options, like opening a basement window to increase ventilation, or using caulk and cement to seal spaces that allow radon to enter. Retest to see if these measures lower the radon to a safe level (below 4 picocuries per liter). If they don't, experts advise that you hire a contractor.

Walls: If your basement is damp, its walls swarm with life: Mold and mildew grow on these surfaces, mites and book lice feed on the mold, and then spiders feed on the microscopic creatures, explains May, the home investigator. This ecosystem can cause the humans upstairs to suffer from chronic sinus and respiratory problems and even fatigue and depression. To control basement moisture, the first step is to determine where the water is entering. May suggests that you hire a building inspector to help find and remedy the moisture source. You may only need to install a dehumidifier--May recommends buying the largest one you can afford for greatest efficiency--and increase the basement temperature to at least 65 degrees.

Store as little as possible in your basement, May says; cardboard boxes, clothes, and books in particular breed mold and mildew. Possessions in the basement should be stored on metal shelves at least two feet from foundation walls and three inches off the floor. Keep clothing and other fabric items in airtight plastic bins or bags.

Your Laundry Room

Detergents: Made with petroleum distillates, bleaches, synthetic whiteners, and artificial fragrances, detergents leave residues on your clothes that can cause allergic reactions like rashes and lung irritation. To eliminate those risks, look for natural soap flakes or 'free-and-clear' detergents at supermarkets, natural food stores, or online companies. One option is the Liquid Laundry or Laundry Powder from California-based Soapworks (100 ounces; $20; 800-987-6564; www.soapworks.com).

You can also make your own inexpensive and healthy laundry powder with ingredients found in most natural food stores, says Casey Kellar, the Scappoose, Ore.-based founder of the natural body-care companies RainShadow Labs and RainCountry Naturals, and author of the Good Earth Home and Garden Book (Krause Publications, 2002). Mix together 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1/2 cup of powdered Castile soap, 1/4 cup washing soda (also known as sodium carbonate), and 1/4 cup borax. Use about half the amount you normally would, Kellar says.

Stain Removers: These often contain perchloroethylene, the solvent used in dry cleaning, which emits carcinogenic fumes that can make you lightheaded, nauseous, and disoriented. The upside is, you can toss out your stain removers and instead make safer versions. You probably have all the ingredients you need to safely wipe out common stains like blood, chocolate, and ink, Kellar says. Use these treatments on colorfast, water-safe fabrics, and be sure to tackle the stain as soon as possible after it occurs.

To remove blood, rinse the garment with cold water and make a paste of equal parts water and baking soda. Apply the paste to the stain and let it sit until totally dry. Use a brush to remove the dried paste and the stain. For chocolate stains, make a paste from 1 tablespoon borax, 1 tablespoon baking soda, and 1/4 cup cold water. Apply it to the stain, lightly scrub it with a brush, and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. Rinse with cold water and air dry. To remove ink stains, make a paste of equal amounts of cream of tartar and lemon juice. Apply the paste to the stain, allow it to set for 30 minutes, and then follow with a cold-water wash.

Fabric Softeners: Commercial fabric softeners are heavily scented with artificial fragrances that leave irritating residues on fabrics. White vinegar is a simple, natural alternative, says Siegel-Maier. It not only prevents static cling, but it also removes soap residue. To make your own lemon-scented fabric softener, combine in a heavy-duty plastic container 6 cups of white vinegar, 1 cup of water, 1 cup of baking soda, and 15 drops of lemon essential oil. Add one cup to the rinse cycle for each load. If you're washing bright colors, cut back to a half cup; vinegar can cause some dyes to run.

Your Home Office

Computer Monitor: Some researchers believe that sitting too close to your computer monitor exposes you to unhealthy doses of electromagnetic radiation. And, says environmental health consultant Dadd, this could trigger behavior changes, memory loss, and even diseases like cancer. There are several ways to protect yourself, Dadd says. If you can, use a laptop computer; these have a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, which operates on weaker and safer voltage than desktop monitors. If you want to be particularly cautious, use battery power while working on your laptop, and recharge the battery when you're not in the room, Dadd suggests. Or outfit your monitor with a radiation-filter. These cost about $100 and can be purchased on office supply websites. As a general rule of thumb, Dadd says, position yourself at least 30 inches from the front and 40 inches from the back and sides of your monitor.

Office Supplies: They may be small, but office supplies contain potent chemicals. Solvent-based liquid correction fluids and permanent pens and markers, for example, contain acetone, cresol, trichloroethylene, toluene, and naphthalene, which have been linked to a range of health problems: dizziness, headaches, fatigue, nausea, chronic cough, depression, and shortness of breath as well as cancer and birth defects, Dadd says.

Run a safer home office by using correction tape, a healthier alternative sold in most office supply stores. 3M and Paper-mate both make versions. As for pens, avoid products with the word 'permanent' on them and instead use water- or gel-based pens. Pilot is one brand available in most office supply stores.

Printer: Laser printers and photocopiers emit ozone, a gas known to cause eye, nose, and throat irritation and headaches, and impair your ability to stay focused. To improve your air quality and boost your job performance, keep your home office equipment in a well-ventilated space, says naturopathic physician Nelson. 'Ventilation is key to regulating how much indoor air pollution you're exposed to,' he says. Open a window (even a crack), keep a fan running, and add some houseplants. Aloe vera, chrysanthemums, ferns, ficus, philodendron, pothos, and spider plants are considered particularly good air filters, drawing pollutants out of the air and replacing them with fresh oxygen.

Your Garage

Lawn and Garden Equipment: Garages are often the catch-all for lawn mowers and snow blowers as well as leftover paint, paint thinner, and garden fertilizer. Storing fuel-powered equipment along with these compounds can create a toxic mix of fumes, May says. If you can, keep lawn equipment in a shed or other place separate from your home. If you must store it in an attached garage, May recommends that you keep it completely drained of gasoline. Also, don't let home improvement products accumulate in your garage. Find out when your town conducts its next hazardous waste collection and discard any unused compounds.

Cars: 'People tend to think of an attached garage as an exterior space, but it's not,' May says. Carbon monoxide and other potentially harmful fumes can flow from the garage into the rest of your house, triggering allergies and headaches, he says. To keep your home fume-free, never leave your car running in an attached garage. Also, check that the door leading from the garage into your house is airtight. If you can smell odors from your garage inside your house, or vice versa, it isn't, May says. To prevent seepage, you can apply weather stripping around the door or install a fire-rated door. This type of door, available at most home improvement stores, is designed to prevent gases from leaking into your house.

Consider This

Products for a Safe Home

These items will help you create a healthy haven for yourself and your family.

Shepherd's Dream Sleep Pillow

Conventional pillows contain synthetic filling materials like polyester, which can irritate your eyes, respiratory tract, and skin. These soft pillows are filled with wool, a safer material ($44 for the firm 23-ounce pillow, $40 for the softer 18-ounce pillow; 800-966-5540; www.shepherdsdream.com).

Organic Cotton Knit Sheet Set

These jersey knit sheets feature organic cotton and are not treated with chlorine bleach, chemical softeners, or synthetic dyes that can irritate skin. They're available in natural, smoky violet, or apple green ($90 for queen sheet set; 800-869-3603; www.gaiam.com).

Holy Smokes! Firestarters

Made from wood fiber and recycled church candles, these sticks will get your fire going without the toxic chemicals released when you burn newspapers. One package starts more than 30 fires ($16 for two packages; 800-762-7325; www.realgoods.com).

Terry Floor Mop

This multipurpose mop comes with two washable cotton terry covers that can be used dry to sweep up dust and wet to wash floors. The long handle and swivel head help you get at hard-to-reach areas. Use this in place of disposable floor sweepers sold with chemical cleaning solutions ($20; 800-869-3603; www.gaiam.com).

Hemp Shower Curtain

You won't need a separate vinyl liner with this long-lasting, machine-washable curtain. That's good news, since vinyl outgases toxic chemicals that can cause a range of health problems ($99; 800-869-3603; www.gaiam.com).

--Julia Tolliver Maranan

Consider This

Freshen Your Air, Naturally

When a room smells less-than-pleasant, you may be tempted to reach for a conventional air freshener spray. Stop yourself; these products contain a host of potentially harmful chemicals, like petroleum distillates, which irritate your lungs. Safer solutions are right under your nose.

Open a Window. There's nothing like fresh air to freshen your air. Open two windows or a door and window. Cross ventilation is the most effective way to reduce indoor air pollution.

Sweeten Your Garbage. Empty your garbage and clean the trash can weekly To maintain freshness, sprinkle 1/2 cup borax in the bottom of the can. This kills odor-producing bacteria and mold.

Make a Mist. Mix 1 cup distilled water and 5 to 7 drops of your favorite essential oil in a spray bottle. Shake well and mist the air as needed. For really tough odors, healthy home expert Casey Kellar recommends that you blend 1 cup vodka with 20 drops of vanilla (Vanilla tahitensis) or pineapple (Ananas cosmosus) essential oil in a spray bottle. Shake well and spray as needed.

Getting Started

A Primer on Safe Paint

Painting ranks as one of the most toxic home improvement projects. Oil-based paints have been banned in several states because they contain volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), known to alter your nervous system and cause liver and kidney damage. These chemicals leach into the air until the paint dries completely, which can take up to a month. But it's easy to find high-quality paints that contain lower levels of VOCs, says healthy home expert Debra Lynn Dadd. Here are your options.

Water-Based Latex Paints: They contain smaller amounts of VOCs than oil-based paints. They're safe if you follow the precautions on the label, which suggest ventilating your work area. After this paint dries, usually within a day, it stops outgassing. You can find it at any store that sells paint.

Low-VOC Paints: These latex paints are specially formulated to contain even lower levels of VOCs. Unlike the first generation of low-VOC paints, these offer excellent coverage and work on all surfaces. You'll find the best selection at paint stores like Sherwin-Williams and Glidden.

Milk Paints: Made of the milk protein casein, these flat-finish paints contain no VOCs. They work well on furniture, wood, and walls, but can't be used in damp places like kitchens and bathrooms because they foster mold growth. You're also limited to using earth tones, since the pigments in milk paint come from minerals known as iron oxides. One good source is The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company (978-448-6336; www.milkpaint.com).--J.T.M.

Health Care Focus: Strong Fitch Rating Helps Make New Haven Nursing Home Deal a Standout.(Mary Wade Home Inc.'s bond issuance)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included) - The Bond Buyer

Riding the wave of health care deals that have been hitting the market, a top-notch nursing home credit will sell $4.7 million of refunding bonds this week in a deal that analysts say will be welcome in its home state.

The New Haven-based Mary Wade Home Inc. will issue the negotiated bonds through the Connecticut Development Authority. Herbert J. Sims & Co. will underwrite the deal, which includes a $165,000 taxable portion. Fitch IBCA Inc. rates the deal A-minus.

'As far as the credit itself ... this is definitely the strongest nursing home in our portfolio. It's our only A-minus,' said Fitch analyst Richard S. Szalkowski.

Frank Gagliardo, senior vice president for the CDA, said the A-minus rating is what makes this deal so attractive.

'The Fitch rating for a home like this is unheard of that and the fact that they're flush with cash ... I would be absolutely stunned if this doesn't go extremely well,' he said.

Robert C. Wetzler, also a Fitch analyst, said the reason Mary Wade has such a strong rating is because of its conservative financial planning. Although almost 70% of the home's revenue comes from Medicaid, it has a very low exposure to Medicare, Wetzler explained.

'They're reimbursed pretty favorably under the Medicaid system,' he said. 'They get close to $160 per patient a day for skilled nursing.'

Szalkowski noted there is a growing number of private-pay patients who pay out of their own pockets.

'They can charge rates that are more profitable on private pay,' Wetzler said. 'This really makes them stand out. I think everyone in the nursing home industry is going for a higher number of private-pay patients.'

Mary Wade is one of the nursing homes in the industry that, while receiving direct federal reimbursement through Medicare, does not participate in insurance programs that are combined with Medicare. And some patients are willing to waive their Medicare/health maintenance organization plans to take on the cost of the home themselves, said Susan Redman, chief financial officer at Mary Wade.

For a semi-private room, there is a $220 per day fee, and for a private room that fee is $260. The growing number of private-pay patients is positive for the home because it can put the money it earns directly into providing services because it is a not-for-profit organization, Redman explained.

In general, Gagliardo said he feels the local market will 'swallow up' the deal.

'Connecticut is a reasonably affluent state, and it's very difficult to get tax-exempts,' he said. 'It's an excellent issue, and it's small. I think this will go in a heartbeat.'

The majority of the bonds will be used to refinance Series 1988 bonds. The rest will fund renovation projects.

Fink! still at large: the reaction of some parents to Nebraska's safe haven law caught many off guard. What do the events in Nebraska suggest about the need for mental health services for adolescents?(CHILD PSYCHIATRY) - Clinical Psychiatry News

The highest form of abuse is abandonment, and that is what we saw happening in Nebraska last fall under the state's 'safe haven' law. What started out as a well-intentioned effort to protect vulnerable infants left by their parents at a state hospital ended up legitimizing the abandonment of older children--mostly boys--whom parents were battling to support and control.

The drop-offs were at once shocking and surprising to those who are not familiar with parents who abuse their children physically, sexually, and/or emotionally. But many in family- and child oriented professions understand all too well that the need for protective agencies and safe haven provisions exists exactly because there is so much abuse.

When Nebraska finally got around to passing the law last summer (it was the last state to do so) it had a glaring omission: There was no age limit after which a child could not be dropped off. By the time the 36th child had been dropped off just before Thanksgiving Day, it was clear that the law had made it easy for parents to cast off responsibility for their children onto the state.

Data from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services paint a sad and desperate scenario: Not one of those 36 children was an infant' only 6 were aged under 10 years (the youngest was 1 year old); and the rest ranged in age from 11 to 17 years. There were 23 boys and 13 girls, of whom 5 had been taken to Nebraska from other states. In addition, based on earlier data from 30 children, the department reported that 28 were from single-parent homes, 22 had a parent with a criminal record, and 27 had received mental health treatment.

State lawmakers subsequently met in a special session on Nov. 22 to revise the law so that now no child older than 30 days can be dropped off. However, the problems that led up to the crisis remain pervasive.

Sometimes parents are driven by untenable circumstances to abandon a child. It is a sad phenomenon of our times that many teenage girls will hide an unwanted and unplanned pregnancy, then give up the baby as soon as it is born. It might be that they have no interest in the baby, but it is more likely that their decision is shaped by their desperation.

Desperation also might spur a single mother whose son becomes violent and threatening within in the family to 'get rid of him' by taking him to a safe haven, or it might be why one Nebraska father left 9 of his 10 children, aged between 1 and 17 years, at a hospital. He could no longer cope after the death of his wife, he told the staff.

But other parents might give up a child because they are disheartened or even disgusted by the child's apparent inability to be socialized, cooperative, or responsible. That smacks of rejection. It says to a child that it is damaged, not loved, and not lovable. What a crushing message! What children most need from their parents is unconditional love--not harsh, perhaps violent, discipline that can lead to fear and hatred instead.

It's very hard for children to reconcile that they're not wanted or to comprehend that their parents would decide to hand them over to state authorities. Yet for many children, not just those in Nebraska, this is a reality.

A key theme of a recent film illustrates how painful it can be when a child wonders whether her mother loves her. 'The Secret Life of Bees' is about a girl who is told by her father that her mother left home, came back to get her things, and did not come for her daughter. The child is haunted by this revelation and at the end of the movie asks her father whether what he said was true. He tells her that he lied and that her mother had intended to take the daughter with her. This is a remarkable movie that captures the most important question that a child has: 'Does my mother love me?'

In Nebraska, each case of abandonment is as uniquely complex as it is heart wrenching. The HHS data mentioned earlier, though not scientific, do hint at a possible trend. The real challenge on the part of providers and policy makers is to understand the dynamics that precede such drop offs in a bigger sample nationwide.

In December, the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council released a report, 'Adolescent Services: Missing Opportunities.' It focused on broader health care services for this population, but it included some interesting points pertaining to mental health.

The authors defined adolescents as individuals aged 10-19 years of age--remember that 30 of the 36 children dropped off in Nebraska were aged between 11 and 17. They described mental health care services for adolescents as being fragmented and inadequately coordinated, and that they are not sufficiently accessible, especially for children in 'safety-net settings.' Confidentiality and difficulties with referral between primary and specialty care providers also were cited as complicating factors.

In particular, the authors emphasized that adolescents' health needs are 'unique' and that their care should to tailored to those needs. They also stressed that behavioral health should be integrated into routine health services.

So what about the behavior and circumstances behind the abandonments? Those are the basic causes, and they're rooted in the home and school.

In the home, as I have mentioned, I believe that children need unconditional love, and--yes, even from their parents--respect. They need guiding rules and routines that provide security, perhaps a mentor or relative to compensate for an absent parent. Children are not hardwired like a washer or dryer to perform specific tasks. They learn by adult example how to be a contented, accomplished adult and members of society. And unlike appliances, they can't be discarded if they 'don't work.'

School plays a complicated role when it comes to at-risk children. In theory, it should offer an effective venue for identifying and supporting at-risk children. Some schools do so, but in practice, educators at many middle and high schools struggle to control the children.

In Philadelphia, we tried to institute policies and programs aimed at addressing the needs of these children by having the teachers do what parents should be doing at home: Establish codes of conduct. However, these came with a detailed outline of punishments for various infractions, with the result that schools became more discipline driven and punishment driven that ever, and suspensions and expulsions were the order of the day.

With many children who are deemed out of control, schools adopt an anywhere-but-here attitude, which results in suspensions or the transferring of a child to another school or to an alternative (formerly known as reform) school. That sounds very similar to parents dropping off their children at a hospital.

We must work harder to understand what makes a particular child misbehave and struggle with understanding his or her role at home, in school, and in society. The crisis in Nebraska is a commentary on the importance of instituting policies and programs aimed at making sure that adolescents--and their parents--get the mental health care and support that they need.

Health & Fitness / Horn Lake is health champ -- City park provides haven for families to play - The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

The city of Horn Lake's Latimer Lakes Park was recognized as theJuly Health Champion for its efforts in providing safe places forchildren and families to play, making Horn Lake a healthiercommunity.

The recognition comes from the DeSoto County Community HealthCouncil, a component of Get A Life!, the Community Foundation ofNorthwest Mississippi's initiative to prevent childhood obesity.

'It is an honor to accept this award for the city of Horn Lake,'said Mayor Nat Baker. 'Latimer Lakes Park exemplifies what Horn Lakeis doing in offering a first-rate park with walking trails, skateboarding, tennis, disc golf, fishing and all forms of sportsleagues. This park gives all citizens the opportunity to come outand enjoy nature while becoming physically fit.'

Latimer Lakes Park is one of the premier parks in DeSoto Countyand, along with the other 15 parks throughout the city, offersbaseball, football, men's softball, coed softball, basketball,cheerleading, 20-hole disc golf, walking trails (including a 2.5-mile handicap-accessible trail in Latimer Lakes Park), three fishinglakes, tennis, skateboard park, multiple playgrounds, picnic areasand pavilions.

Horn Lake is also home to the first leg of the DeSoto CountyGreenways.

For the fifth year, Latimer Lakes Park will host the Autumn inthe Park Fall Festival in October. Families come together for anight of fun with the annual Fright Fest, and the city will help thecounty celebrate DeSoto County Family Health and Fitness Day Sept.25 .

'It is a great honor to present the city of Horn Lake and LatimerLakes Park the July Health Champion recognition,' said Jim Robinson,chairman of the Community Health Council. 'Latimer Lakes Park is anoutstanding asset for children and families in the Horn Lakecommunity to be involved and stay healthy with the many activitiesfor everyone in the community to develop a healthy lifestyle.'

A Health Champion is recognized each month by the CommunityHealth Council. It can be an individual, family, groups,organization, business, church or school. To submit a nominee, e-mail nomination including contact information to plinton@cfnm.org orcall (662) 449-5002.